Second Quarter 2018
INL Quarterly Site Environmental Report

VNS-ID-ESER-SURV-058

INL Site

Precipitation and Water Sampling

Precipitation Sampling

Precipitation samples are gathered when sufficient precipitation occurs to allow for the collection of the minimum sample volume of approximately 50 mL (Figure 11). Samples are taken of monthly composites from Idaho Falls, and weekly (when available) from the EFS on the INL Site and Atomic City and Howe on the INL Site boundary. These are the same locations that atmospheric moisture samples are collected at. Precipitation samples are analyzed for tritium. Storm events in the second quarter of 2018 produced sufficient precipitation to yield 28 samples.

Tritium was measured above the 3s values in all of the 28 samples. These results are listed in Table C-5 (Appendix C). Low levels of tritium exist in the environment at all times as a result of cosmic ray reactions with water molecules in the upper atmosphere. Long-term data collected around the globe since 1961 by the International Atomic Energy Agency suggest that that tritium levels have steadily decreased since the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963 and are close to their pre-nuclear test values (Cauquoin et al. 2015) and that there are no longer remnants of fallout from nuclear weapons testing. When detected, tritium values have remained well within the historical range and the range measured across the country by the EPA Radnet program (EPA 2018). Most samples have values up to about 150 pCi/L, with occasional values ranging up to about 300-400 pCi/L. The maximum value in the second quarter was 299 pCi/L in an Atomic City sample collected on May 2.

Water Sampling

Drinking water samples were collected at eight locations (plus a duplicate). A control sample of bottled water was also prepared. Surface water samples were collected at three Thousand Springs locations. All samples were analyzed for gross alpha, gross beta, and tritium. Locations are shown in Figure 12 and results are listed in Table C-6 of Appendix C.

Gross alpha activity was detected in two of the 10 drinking water samples (Craters of the Moon and the Rest Area duplicate samples) and in one of the three surface water samples. Gross beta activity was detected in nine of the 10 drinking water samples (all except the control), and in all three of the surface water samples. All concentrations were generally similar to previous results from drinking and surface water sampling. Natural levels of radioactive decay products of thorium and uranium exist in the Snake River Plain Aquifer and are the likely source of the measured concentrations. The highest reported value was 6.8 pCi/L in the sample from Alpheus Spring near Twin Falls. This location has historically shown the highest levels of natural activity.

Tritium was also detected in three of the 10 drinking water samples and one of the three surface water samples. The concentrations were similar to those found in atmospheric moisture and precipitation samples and were consistent with previous results. The maximum value was 209 pCi/L at Minidoka. The results are well below the DCS of 1.9 x 106 pCi/L for tritium in drinking water.

The Big Lost River (BLR) flowed on the INL Site during the second quarter. Samples were collected during April and June at five locations (plus a duplicate). A control sample was collected from Birch Creek. All samples were analyzed for gross alpha, gross beta, tritium, and gamma-emitting radionuclides. Results are listed in Table C-7 of Appendix C and include two collection events, one in May and one in June.

Gross alpha activity was detected in ten of fourteen samples. The highest reported gross alpha value was 6.94 pCi/L in a duplicate sample from the BLR at NRF. Gross beta activity was detected in twelve of the samples. The highest reported gross beta value was 11.4 pCi/L in a duplicate sample from BLR at NRF. Concentrations were generally similar to previous results from the BLR sampling. Tritium was detected in nine samples from the BLR. The highest reported value was 136 pCi/L in the sample collected at the Rest Area. Concentrations were similar to those found in atmospheric moisture and precipitation samples and were consistent with previous years.

Radiation in Our World

Radiation has always been a part of the natural environment in the form of cosmic radiation, cosmogenic radionuclides [carbon-14 (14C), Beryllium-7 (7Be), and tritium (3H)], and naturally occurring radionuclides, such as potassium-40 (40K), and the thorium, uranium, and actinium series radionuclides which have very long half lives. Additionally, human-made radionuclides were distributed throughout the world beginning in the early 1940s. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons from 1945 through 1980 and nuclear power plant accidents, such as the Chernobyl accident in the former Soviet Union during 1986, have resulted in fallout of detectable radionuclides around the world. This natural and manmade global fallout radioactivity is referred to as background radiation. MORE

Radiation Exposure and Dose

The primary concern regarding radioactivity is the amount of energy deposited by particles or gamma radiation to the surrounding environment. It is possible that the energy from radiation may damage living tissue. When radiation interacts with the atoms of a given substance, it can alter the number of electrons associated with those atoms (usually removing orbital electrons). This is called ionization. MORE